Jenny Willott MP

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'Brown's 'Nuclear Vision' Rides Roughshod Over Welsh Public Opinion'

November 26, 2007 12:00 AM

Responding to Gordon Brown's speech today to the CBI, Jenny Willott MP accused Gordon Brown of pre-empting the outcome of the public consultation into a series of new nuclear power stations and riding roughshod over Welsh public opinion.

Jenny will also be tabling an Early Day Motion in Parliament calling for a Nuclear Free Future for Wales.

Commenting, Jenny said:

"It seems that Gordon Brown hasn't learnt from Tony Blair's mistakes on how to consult the public.

"The original nuclear consultation was deemed illegal because of the Government's failure to consult properly. But even now, the Prime Minster officially states that he has an open mind on nuclear power, and then marches round the corner to deliver a speech outlining his grand nuclear vision.

"Surveys show that people in Wales are well informed on the energy debate. It makes the Government's blatant disregard for the views of the public even more unacceptable, especially when building new nuclear power stations will be binding on many generations to come.

"New nuclear power stations will divert huge sums of private and public money away from new green growth industries. What's more, there is still no plan whatsoever to deal with nuclear waste which, in Wales alone, will be enough to fill 60 Olympic size swimming pools."